


The Other Side

by readytomcf_ckingdie



Series: Danganronpa Mini-Fics [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different Mastermind (Dangan Ronpa), Angst, Bad Ending, F/F, Mastermind Celestia Ludenburg, Mastermind Kirigiri Kyoko, i might hurt kyoko quite a bit i am so sorry, kirigiri-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:34:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29358060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/readytomcf_ckingdie/pseuds/readytomcf_ckingdie
Summary: After helping Makoto out of the school's garbage dump, they challenged the bear to a final trial. However, what the results are leave everyone shocked and confused. Even more so when one of their party helps the Mastermind out.
Relationships: Kirigiri Kyoko/Celestia Ludenberg
Series: Danganronpa Mini-Fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2156574
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	The Other Side

**Author's Note:**

> So hi! This is my first fic for the DR fandom! I really love Celesgiri, but a lot of bad stuff this week caused me to write quite a bit of angst. But!! I will write fluff in future for them, I promise!  
> Anywhoosies, this here is a songfic!
> 
> This is "The Other Side" from the Greatest Showman. I thought it worked very well with my idea. Please let me know if I should right more of these two because they own my heart qwq
> 
> Started: 08/02/2021  
> Finished: 11/02/2021.
> 
> And since AO3 hates me, the lyrics are in brackets, not italics because I can't get them to work and I give up.

Ever since she put this game into motion, a lot of different things had happened but none of them were really good enough to last.

Her original goal had been to cause despair and bring the world’s most hopeful people to their knees; to prove that despair would always prevail over hope. That hoping and wishing for things would get you nowhere. The method was that if you wanted something, you would take it and do everything in your power to achieve it or die with distrust. That was more than proven after the first murder in this thing the Mastermind had nicknamed as the killing game. She would’ve came up with a more flashy title, but quite frankly no one would ever use it. There was the chance of mockery as well.

That wasn’t the issue here. The issue was that there were still six non-blackened in this game. The Mastermind would have remarked that they were a tight knit family if she couldn’t see the subtexted tension in the small group. It was both sweet and sickening - she wasn’t sure how any of them hadn’t snapped yet. After all it was the hotheads or rich stuck-ups that were still alive. One of them even had a taste for blood! Then there was the Lucky Student, who was really just giving her a massive migraine with his bullshit speeches of hope and how it was something to cling to.

The only one who enraptured her attention was the detective.

A cold hard stare with an even cooler demeanour that pierced the robot bear she had gotten made whenever he showed up to taunt or motivate. A neutrally expressed woman with a knack for finding everything coherent and being able to be level-headed, even at the bodies of at least nine other classmates she once knew. Well, not that she had known at the start of the game - that was why memories were blurred and altered. It would be just no fun if she remembered her talent immediately. Which was why she took it away.

It was enjoyable when the light-haired woman got her memories of her purpose and talent back. The Mastermind didn’t forget how the way her eyes lit up with pride as she challenged Monokuma to a final trial. The Ultimate Trial. The way Naegi had said it made sound more of something you’d hear between young children playing an imaginary game. Well, this game was certainly not imaginary. If it was then she wouldn’t be the one running it.

A smirk graced her lips as adjusted her left, black drill.

It was time for the final trial, the final performance.

It wasn’t her final appearance, though. Neither would it be the detective’s - she’d make sure of that.

-

Kyoko Kirigiri wanted this game to be over.

(Right here, right now.  
I put the offer out.  
I don't want to chase you down,  
I know you see it.)

She glanced around at the other paranoid students while the elevator began lowering itself down. It would be the last time and Kyoko was surprised to feel like she would miss the adrenaline that thumped through her veins every time something happened. When a body showed up, when she disobeyed the nighttime rule and walked around the desolated halls, when the investigation led into the trial.. All of it.

It was shameful to feel like that but she couldn’t help it. Nor could she have helped the thoughts that kept her up at night lately - ones about the Mastermind, aiding them, killing others, plunging the world into undeniable despair. She couldn’t wrap her head around it; It was eating her alive. After all, these were her friends. Companions, those she had protected from execution with her intellect and skill regarding detective cases… why would she have any reason to kill them?

(You run, with me,  
And I can cut you free,  
Out of the treachery and walls you keep in.)

The ride down was silent, save from the breathing from the survivors alongside the creaking of the elevator. If she didn’t know any better, Kyoko would have assumed this was the death trap and that they would die before even getting to the trial site. She spared a glance at the lucky student, who seemed to be eyeing her in return with some sort of suspicion. She supposed her level of intellect was a prompt for that. But she had every faith that she was correct with her theories.

With a silent nod to herself, she watched as the soft beep echoed throughout the moving chamber, signalling them that they had arrived. She heard Makoto speak but didn’t process or bother to listen. It wasn’t because she was impolite, but it was because she was far too occupied by Monokuma’s taunting giggles once the doors opened.

No one bothered to move until the doors had fully opened. After that, Byakuya stepped forward first but only after the ushering of the yin-yang patterned bear that had been bothering them ever since they woke up. He didn’t bother glancing back as he silently made his way to his assigned stand. Once there he had folded his arms, tapping his foot impatiently.

Toko was next to follow, meekly heading to her own as she occasionally spared glances at the heir. Kyoko could only assume what the woman was thinking and she suddenly wished she couldn’t read certain people. Toko’s thoughts, alongside her split-self, were not helpful and often.. Perverse. The detective rolled her shoulders, shrugging off the shudder that had begun crawling up her spine. Kirigiris didn’t show emotion. Only faint glimpses. That and she didn’t want to give the others or the Mastermind the satisfaction of the slight anxiety pooling in her gut.

She was the next to exit the elevator.

Head raised and shoulders back in reliable confidence, she strided over to her stand. She held herself calmly, composed. After all, she often had to end up being the mediator once the trial was underway and voices would raise. That and she had to be the one that comforted everyone else and be a sturdy leaning most every time they lost someone. Well, maybe she didn’t comfort everyone, but she would try to offer words of fact in order to keep them from falling into despair.  
The others came to the stands and after the regular spiel of Monokuma’s game rules before he joined the usually absent stand in the room; the only one without a survivor standing there nor a sign of a student who failed to make it out of the events alive.

Kyoko spared a glance at the sign with a familiar face on it. All of them were familiar - they had met each other on the first day of this, the detective was also rather observant of all of that alongside their signs of lying, behaviour analytics and the like. No, it wasn’t because of that she was looking at this sign. She was scanning this sign because it held the face of someone dear. Someone she had gotten incredibly close to before the other went and got herself blackened.

In some form, she was still angry. Mad at the woman for breaking a promise she made the night before those two murders. Ticked at the fact that she was smiling while being executed. Kirigiri’s fists clenched briefly before she turned to Monokuma’s rambling.

And then, the trial began.

(So trade that typical for something colorful,  
And if it's crazy, live a little crazy!  
You can play it sensible, a king of conventional,  
Or you can risk it all and see…)

Accusations flooded left and right since Makoto had survived his own execution. It was mainly from Toko and Hiro who- Kyoko had to admit- weren’t the sharpest tools in the shed. She had to keep shutting down their ideas because they either got too out of hand or derailed the debate at hand. Gripping her stand’s banister, she grumbled inwardly before piping up once Naegi had proved himself innocent for the moment once again.

The detective’s nostrils flared in slight irritation, “There is one thing strange about the Bio Lab. You recall that something, right Makoto?” She stated, clicking her jaw.

The lucky student nodded, “I got it! There were only nine lights on in the storage of the dead bodies.” He answered. Kirigiri nodded once in agreement.

“How is that even remotely useful?” Byakuya bristled in annoyance, “For all we know, Makoto might’ve miscounted.”

The lucky student wanted to retort that he could, but Kyoko was quick to intervene before the conversation could be derailed further.

“No.” She replied, giving the blonde a blank stare at taking offense, “In total, ten murders were carried out during the entirety of this killing game, but only nine bodies ended up in the morgue. We can go with many different paths but I am certain I am right with only one: Someone was killed twice.”

The statement was shocking and confusing. How would that even take place at all? Surely they would have noticed if the same body appeared more than once. This was more confusing than Celestia Ludenburg’s trial, and this one wasn’t even a murder. Kyoko watched the others gawk with a neutral expression. Part of her wanted to make them figure it out themselves as a hint of vengeance from trying to pinpoint Mukuro Ikusaba’s death onto her. She had no reason to kill, no matter how many temptations.

“How can you say that?” Hiro replied, his mind scrambled.

Byakuya interrupted him, “More importantly, who is it?”

Kyoko paused, then began explaining with the help of Makoto’s evidence as well as her own. They had concluded Mukuro switched with someone before the game even started. Wasn’t it a little bit weird that the blackened wanted to be executed so easily, even smiling through it. Even as she answered and explained, the realisation of who Ikusaba swapped with dawned on her. She knew who it was. She felt disgusted, nauseated by it because it had been someone she let herself be vulnerable with.

And that was..

“The person Mukuro switched with, the Ultimate Despair and the mastermind of this horrific game..” Makoto announced, pointing at the sign of the supposedly deceased Ultimate Gambler, “Is none other than Celestia Ludenburg! Or rather, Ta-”

“Don’t.” Kirigiri immediately said, shutting him up with how forceful she sounded. She didn’t want to hear the name again. Not her real name.

(Don't you wanna get away from the same old part you gotta play?  
'Cause I got what you need,  
So come with me and take the ride!  
It'll take you to the other side!)

Hina looked shocked at the revelation, “H- How does that even make sense?” She asked, glancing between the three debaters, then at Monokuma, whom of which had gone suspiciously silent.

Kyoko bit her tongue as Byakuya explained. He conveyed it in such a simple way that it made her heart ache with betrayal. Sure she had come to the conclusion minutes before they had but the fact that she had been right made it both worse and better. The one she was attached to, the one she dared say she loved.. That was the identity of the Mastermind.

She looked around at the survivors as Makoto brought all of the evidence forth. Hiro and Hina were both terribly confused, both not knowing whether to look at Kyoko for a reaction or just stay out of the conversation as much as possible. Makoto glanced up every so often to her, then immediately looked away - especially when describing how the lower half of Mukuro’s body had been burned, then the top had been hit with a moving object. In this case it had been a firetruck. The detective wanted to vomit.

“In conclusion, the real Mukuro died and Celestia escaped by hiding in the Mastermind’s data center, controlling Monokuma.” He finished, glancing over to the robotic bear.

('Cause you can do like you do,  
Or you can do like me..)

Monokuma remained silent, head hanging. He didn’t pipe up, or do anything. It was rather anticlimactic, Kyoko managed to note while forcing back the bile that had risen in her throat, straining to keep her emotions bottled up and her composure serene. Byakuya folded his arms, eyes narrowing and scrutinizing the bear.

“What, are you broken again?” He scoffed in annoyance, pushing up his glasses as if that would trigger the creature to move. Everyone watched in silence as Monokuma stayed still.

And at the lack of response from the bear, the survivors appeared to become more confident in their accusations. He would bite back if he had been innocent conclusively. Hina was the one to speak up next, partially ticked that the bear didn’t have any more quips in him.

“You can’t get out of this, so don’t even try!” She said, confidence growing. Kyoko could tell that- even at a distance- Hina was feeling hopeful. Most likely because she could grant Sakura’s dying wish and live on for the martial artist. The detective wished she could feel the same hope. She had at the start of the game, but since the day had started and uncovering all the events of her father and what happened here and why memories disappeared she had felt numb.

(Stay in the cage, or you'll finally take the key..)

She couldn’t exactly pinpoint what it was before Hiro’s yelling broke her thought process and caused her to look over to him as he insulted the seemingly lifeless bear.

“Come on! It’s time you finally revealed yourself!” He said, and the detective resisted the urge to tell him to can it. She could feel her anger increasing the long this went on and she wasn’t sure how to deal with the ever-growing urge to hurt someone. Now, she could be territorial or at least violent with words but she had never been almost willing to harm another person. She didn’t see reason to; which was only confusing her that much more. She could feel something that Mondo had at his trial - a creaking in her head.

“It’s not like y- you’re an endangered species or something! How l- long do you plan to keep hiding?” Toko spoke up. Kyoko reached up to her own face to smooth out a twitching under her left eye.

She found herself speaking before she knew she was, pointing at the bear, “Give it up, Taeko. The game’s over.” She initially paused. She wondered if it was because her voice triggered the bear or if it was because she used the Mastermind’s real name. After all, Celeste had always been picky over it. Until that trial, “You lost.”

(Oh, there, suddenly you're free to fly..)

Whatever it was, it worked, because now Monokuma had his back to them. Silent for a moment before uttering two words in a very familiar tone that she had heard at the trial. At the Burning of the Versailles Witch.

“I… lost?”

(It'll take you to the other side.)

Kirigiri felt her heart clench tremendously with a twinge of shock showing up on her expression. The bear then began laughing, and for a moment Kyoko swore she could hear it in her head after it stopped.

“You think I lost just because you figured who I am?” He asked, “This is far from over!”

And in theatrical fashion, smoke bobbled up from the ground around his stand. It soon covered the room, blinding the remaining survivors for a moment as they waited for it to clear. Whatever it was wasn’t a good thing. Kyoko had already made that mistake enough times.

“Hmhm, I thought you all would be happy to see a fellow classmate alive, no?”

(Okay, my friend, you want to cut me in.  
Well I hate to tell you, but it just won't happen.)

Everyone knew that voice before they even had to look. The slight accent (although Kirigiri was the only one who knew of it’s fakeness), the red eyes and the black drills accompanied by a gothic aesthetic was obvious to them all. 

(So thanks, but no.  
I think I'm good to go.)

Each student had a different reaction to the reveal. Hiro had his jaw dropped, aghast and confused. They all had been sure she was dead- they even saw the carnage. Hina had her hand covering her mouth and the detective could only imagine how much false hope she was being given by Celestia having faked her own death. Makoto and Byakuya looked at each other for answers as they were both nitpicky and should have something to say. Kyoko was the only one who wasn’t reacting. She felt numb. She wasn’t sure what she should feel right now.

('Cause I quite enjoy the life, you say I'm trapped in..)

She could feel the Mastermind- no, Celestia- eyeing her with a coy smirk. Kyoko bit her tongue behind her lips and averted her gaze to the floor. The light-haired woman refused to make eye contact with her. She couldn’t believe how far she had been used as a pawn by the other. Her heart clenched once again. She closed her eyes and furrowed her brows, ignoring the other survivors’ worried glances.

“And to think that my Queen would still love to see me.” Celestia tutted, “How unfortunate.”

“I suppose it cannot be helped. I am the reason you are all here.” She continued on, leaning against one of the armrests of the throne that the others were so used to seeing a bear atop of, “I’m the reason for your memory losses and the entire killing game.” She put a hand out as if someone would kiss it, “Bonjour.”

(Now I admire you, and that whole show you do.)

Kyoko hated the way her heart thumped lightly at the girl’s cheerful tone. Her shoulders loosened lightly and she was sure she was going mad. She should hate her. She wanted to hate her. The gambler had done this to all of them and she was still having an influence over the detective. She hadn’t realised she was gripping the banister before she heard it crack. She looked down to find herself holding quite the piece of wood in her one hand.

(You're onto something, really it's something..)

“Is it not in the handbook to not damage school property?” Celeste asked with a sort of scoff noise. She stood up, striding around toward her girlfriend and gleaming up at her, “We’ll just have to punish you for that.”

(But I live among the swells and we don't pick up peanut shells,  
I'll have to leave that up to you.)

The detective stared back at her emotionlessly. She didn’t see a reason to murder someone. At least not until now.

With that, her expression darkened and without much thought for it, she punched the gambler square in the mouth. Then again while she shoved her back. She could hear the complaints and the warnings of her classmates, yet she wasn’t processing them. All she wanted to do was wipe that shit-eating smirk off of the gambler’s face.

(Don't you know that I'm okay with this uptown part I get to play?  
'Cause I got what I need and I don't want to take the ride,  
I don't need to see the other side!)

“Kirigiri!” Byakuya attempted to shout.

Kyoko would have listened if she wasn’t preoccupied by unbridled rage. It was scary to the other students, they had never seen Kyoko lose her temper - or rather, show much at all. The closest they got was when she was caught off guard by Alter Ego mentioning the headmaster. They all knew how the detective’s eyes twitched and her shoulders became stiff. However this was much more problematic because she was actually being violent. Yet try as she might, she couldn’t wipe the smugness off of the blackette’s face. But she kept at it, desperate. There was nothing else that could be done and she couldn’t care less if something happened to her. The truth of the mystery had nudged her over the edge.

(So go and do like you do,  
I'm good to do like me.  
Ain't in a cage, so I don't need to take the key.)

The detective only realised she wasn’t getting anywhere after noticing that Celestia was holding her by her wrists, still. Had it been anyone else she would’ve kicked or possibly even bitten, but she couldn’t bring herself to injure the gambler - even though she wanted to. The pit of despair in her gut was only growing larger. Maybe she wasn’t fighting because she didn’t want her classmates punished. Perhaps she was relenting so she didn’t get herself killed. But both her and the Mastermind knew the true reason - Kirigiri was taking a darker path regardless of if she wanted to or not.

She was pulled out of her thought process by Celestia grabbing her softly around the jaw, her armour ring digging into the side of the detective’s cheek. Lilac eyes locked onto red ones and both were reading each other’s emotions. Their classmates were shouting protests at Kirigiri but it honestly felt like they were distant; as if it were the night before Celestia’s ‘trial’ all over again. It was like it was just them.

(Oh, there, can't you see I'm doing fine?  
I don't need to see the other side.)

“Ah, come on, darling. You cannot be that scared of me, can you?” She asked with a devilish undertone that Kyoko- for once- failed to pick up on.

The detective didn’t answer; everything was overwhelming her and she had no idea of the outcome. She hated the feeling of uncertainty, it was something her family was not. Or rather, what was left of it before they all came to Hope’s Peak. She almost longed for the feeling to be gone and it must have shown because the gambler was looking knowingly at her. Above all else, Kirigiri fought to keep her neutral expression. This was a monster, not her girlfriend.

...But then why did she want to lock lips with her so badly?

(Is this really how you like to spend your days?  
Whiskey, misery, and parties you place?)

“Kyo, baby, this is getting tedious. You’re still being stubborn. I asked you a question.”

“Wh… what?” Kyoko found her mouth moving, looking down at her with a blank stare even though her tone trembled and her eyes had a stinging sensation behind them. She had promised herself that she would never cry. She wanted to keep that.

Celestia tilted her head in response with a small, loving sigh. “You were in your thoughts again, weren’t you?” She assumed. Kirigiri hated how she knew her that well. She regretted ever letting herself open up to her; She knew something bad was going to happen but she went ahead with it anyway.

The lavender-eyed girl swallowed back everything she wanted to say and forced out a question in response, “A.. question?”

“Oui, ma chérie." The Queen of Liars responded, “Would you like me to repeat it?”

Kyoko spared a glance at her bewildered classmates. She took in all their horrified looks alongside their protests. Even the Togami heir was making demands she couldn’t hear. No one wanted to do this, she didn’t want to do this but she was so torn between both sides. The side she should be on and the side she wanted to be on. She was fighting a losing battle and she knew what it would mean if she said no. She still couldn’t leave behind the only person she loved. She nodded.

(If I were mixed up with you, I'd be the talk of the town,  
Disgraced and disowned, another one of the clowns.)

“I will repeat my question.” She said, and Kyoko was partially caught off guard by the way she dropped her accent to ask, “Would you like to join me?”

Had this been anyone else being the Mastermind, the answer would’ve been a quick and hard no. It would’ve been so easy to say and they would have executed them. But this was Celestia Ludenburg and they had been in love before she got Mukuro executed during the trial that was meant to be for her. Kirigiri had mourned in silence of her death. She still loved her even though she was now twisted and a terrible person. She hated how the gambler had eyes set on her because she should morally disagree but a yearning, deep part of her was screaming to be with the only one who had genuinely given a rat’s tail about her. The detective knew the gambler was genuine, there was no possible way of faking the glints in those red eyes.

And even if it were possible Kyoko didn’t think she’d ever will herself to let go of her.

(But you would finally live a little, finally laugh a little.  
Just let me give you the freedom to dream a little..)

“So what will it be, detective?” Celestia asked, “After all you and I could spread despair.. That would be enjoyable, would it not?” She murmured against Kyoko’s own lips - when had she gotten so close? The detective could feel her mind spinning with ideas and desires. She wanted to deny them but they were what she truly wanted.

“I..”

“Kyoko! Please don’t!” Shouted Hina.

“She’ll kill the rest of us if you do!” Hiro continued.

“Now, now, children.” Celeste hissed, “When did I say I’d do that?” She asked snarkily. Kyoko knew exactly when she- or well, Monokuma- had said that. She wondered if she could save them and still get to keep the twin-drilled goth. No, she wouldn’t try one of Naegi’s friendship speeches. To her knowledge, in the duration of this game, they hadn’t even worked once. Talking was not really much of an option.

(Wake you up and cure your aching..  
Take your walls and start unbreaking..)

Kirigiri looked from Celestia to Makoto, then to the currently inactive Monokuma on the floor. She could say yes and the pros would be that she kept her girlfriend and had a chance of being happy. If she said no, then she would lose her beloved one and be in despair until the inevitable end of their miserable lives. Now, the detective had fought for all of them to get to this point and protected them from each other despite almost getting executed twice.

And she wasn’t a selfish person by any means, but what was the point of getting out of here if it just meant she’d continue to feel this numb or possibly even worse?

(Now that's a deal, that seems worth taking,  
But I guess I'll leave that up to you.)

“Kyo, you need to stop retreating into your head.” The Queen of Liars said, bringing her back to reality for what seemed like the umpteenth time. Kyoko blinked, looking down at her from the stand she had recently splintered part of. Celestia took two steps back with a small smile. It’s genuine, soft; like all the others she’s had the pleasure of seeing. She watched the other extend a hand to her, waiting for her response to the question she had repeated.

(Well it's intriguing, but to go would cost me greatly…)

“It depends.”

Her words caused the others to gasp. In horror, shock and despair that she was even considering the option. Kyoko couldn’t lie; she did see the appeal of having absolute power. Something she had never experienced thanks to how she was raised. Even Celestia was taken aback briefly, lips parted. She quickly blinked and recomposed herself.

“On?” 

The detective gestured a hand toward the survivors, “They get to live.”

“What?” Hina gasped, “No- Kyoko, you can’t just-!”

“Silence!” Celeste cut in with a slight glower toward the swimmer, who quietened immediately. She turned back to her lover, “You’d be willing to sacrifice yourself so they live?”

(So what percentage of the show would I be taking?)

A nod.

“That’s.. Unfortunate.” She sighed, “But I’ll allow it. I will not kill them.” She noticed their expressions of hope. How desperately she wanted to rip it away. She watched Kyoko’s gloved hand twitch with something she recognised - want. A small smirk graced the gambler’s face and she turned toward her.

(Fair enough, you'd want a piece of all the action.)

“Wait.. really?” Kyoko asked.

“Oui.” The blackette chirped, giving a deceitful, thin smile.

(I'd give you seven, we could shake and make it happen.)

“Because you’re going to do it.”

(I wasn't born this morning, eighteen would be just fine.)

Shock.

For the first time, Kirigiri’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened. Celestia giggled innocently, as if she didn’t just tell her she was going to commit manslaughter. Kyoko was the Ultimate Detective, there was no way she would go against her whole purpose. It didn’t matter how much it was tempting, she could not. That was like putting salt in a fresh, open wound. Betrayal, in other words.

“Explain!” Byakuya ordered, surprisingly catching his breath in his throat when the gambler looked at him.

“It is not hard to understand, Togami.” Celestia grumbled before beginning to shift through the inside pockets of her blazer. She then pulled out a remote. It looked like the ones that would come with a TV, not some sort of hyper-technological control pad like they had found in the Monokuma control cockpit. At the top of it, where the power button was laid a blinking red one was situated, labelled ‘Finale’. Of course the gambler had to be theatrical.

(Why not just go ahead and ask for nickels on the dime?)

The more this went on, the more Kirigiri could feel herself twist and turn darker. She was upset at herself. Not only because she was meant to be on the side of justice as a detective but also because she was beginning to welcome the horrible ideologies. She was scared of what was happening and it was making her head spin. She was also beginning to gain a craving for despair. One that wasn’t solved by her own emotional capacity.

(Fifteen.)

She narrowed her gaze at the other, quirking a brow, “I'm not going to do that.” She said defiantly, even as Celestia shoved the remote into her hands. Her grip lingered for far too long in Kyoko's opinion. Especially now that she was beginning to want to be at her heels. She hated the influence the other had over her.

(I'd do eight.)

Celestia smirked at her knowingly; had she known that this would be the detective's fate from the start or was it just convenience? Kyoko couldn't be bothered to attempt to rationalize nor take caution with the device in her hand as Makoto kept telling her to do so. She was beginning to grow tiresome of all the voices.

Kirigiri felt the corner of her mouth twitch upwards. She ignored her classmates' protests, looking from the button to Celeste's once again outstretched hand then back to the remote the button glared from. She could get behind the despair aspect, probably. If it meant she'd be with her girlfriend for eternity then she would most likely take it.

(Twelve.)

Even if it doomed the rest. Maybe the gambler knew that. Kyoko wasn't selfish often; but this was one thing she had wanted for years. She had wanted acceptance. With each thought the remote became more and more enticing. She found herself fantasizing what could happen.

(Maybe nine.)

Love.

(Ten.)

Most of all, power.

Celestia smirked at the detective's gaze lighting up with a sadistic outlook. While her former friends all threw insults and protests, all Kyoko could think about was how much she missed the softness of the gambler's hand when she took it. She watched the other grin both devilishly and happily. She didn’t exactly care which it was. Kyoko just wanted to listen to her heart and finally have something she wanted.

In the next moment, she found herself in the gambler’s arms with their lips connected. It felt like the first time but with a lot more thrill. Kirigiri quietly decided that she could really get used to this. At the cost of dooming the world? If it meant that she could feel like this..

Well quite frankly, she didn’t care.

(Don't you wanna get away to a whole new part you're gonna play?)

Studded gloves brushed against the remote, as if seeing an old friend for the first time in a long while. Familiarity, something Kirigiri had always wanted within life. Someone she could know well and that certain someone never leaving her. She realised now that had been the Queen of Liars herself, who was watching her with genuine crimson eyes. The shouts behind her had died by now. They were only looking on in betrayal of the detective alongside fear of their fates. Celeste had won, that much was obvious. After all, the gambler did state she had never really lost when they were at her trial days prior.

('Cause I got what you need, so come with me and take the ride.)

With a squeeze of the hand, Kyoko allowed Celestia to lead her over to the throne. Monokuma was still inactive on the floor right now and the detective barely gave him or the other survivors a second glance as the Mastermind set her down on the throne in a seat position, remote still clasped tightly. She stood to her side, glancing over the others. No one wanted to say anything, as if it would devolve Kirigiri into madness. Hell, even the Togami heir was keeping his mouth shut, sweat dripping from his brow.

Upon seeing that, Celestia took pleasure in seeing her girlfriend’s light up again. She watched the detective point the remote toward the blond, then at the others with her freehand. Stare blank, expression neutral, but both accompanied with something petrifying in the lilac orbs of someone they once called friend. Who once was like a sister or a mother figure to them all. The gambler pushed Kyoko’s hair behind her shoulders, fiddling with the other’s braid as the other thought and pondered how she would end this.

(To the other side.)

As if reading her thoughts, Celestia spoke up, “What are you going to do about them, oh ‘Detective of Despair’?” She asked. Kyoko thought that the title was rather fitting for her new idea.

(So if you do like I do,)

Kyoko’s gaze narrowed as she looked from the luckiest, to the heir, to the clairvoyant, to the writer and then the murderous fiend. Then a faint smirk edged its way onto her normally stoic expression. Her grip tightened on the remote ever-so-slightly.

“I want you to present your case.” She said flatly, pointedly looking at the one who always promoted friendship and hope to all of them. At one time she would’ve accepted, but now she had made up her mind and it was time for her to stop losing people she loved, “Prove to me why you should be allowed to live.”

The word felt like daggers to each ultimate’s feelings, whether they would admit it or not. Each of them were practically offended - after they had subconsciously relied on the detective to do her whole purpose in the entirety of this game. Now they had to remember most of what had happened and why they weren’t like her who faked her execution or became executed or just victims in general.

But what could they say? Was there even a chance of getting Kyoko back from wherever she had retreated to in her mind? No one could tell that as fact. They took fear out of Kyoko’s smirk - it was the same one she had when she knew something was going her way. It had happened during each trial and it was even more prominently devilish right here in this current moment. It was why they had suspected her for the last trial when Mukuro Ikusaba’s dead body showed up. They had been so sure.

With the click of her tongue, Kyoko played with the remote uselessly in her hands.

“For the final trial, all rise.”

(So if you do like me,)

And so the trial began.

Arguments were made and begging was pleaded. While there would be a flash of hesitation in Kyoko’s eyes at points, it was never enough to get her to reconsider her actions. The survivors quickly grew desperate, voices straining and realisations of fighting a losing battle becoming more possible of an outcome. Celestia let them attempt for a good while. It must have been at least an hour of talking before they realised nothing was going to convince neither the detective nor the gambler to change their minds on their fates. Considering how Celestia kept throwing insults and Kyoko’s expression never changed from a deep scowl.

“Okay, time’s up.” The gambler finally caved, still keeping that ever polite but deceitful smile.

Makoto felt his jaw drop in shock and fright, “What? There’s no-”

“-time’s up?” Kyoko cut him off, “That’s what I said at my trial but you didn’t listen to me.” She recalled, “Well, the time has come to vote.”

Byakuya looked quite annoyed by their glances at each other alongside the fact that Kirigiri had a faintly amused expression. To think he had actually put faith into someone. She had seemed competent when they had all first met at the beginning of the killing game. So did Celestia. He would never admit that Kirigiri may very well have been the reason they all had gotten this far. He just couldn’t comprehend why she wanted to go to the wrong side of the law. It went against her whole purpose if he recalled correctly.

A moment passed and he finally piped up from his stand, “You do realise that we’re just going to vote you, do you not?” He said, folding his arms while never letting his gaze leave the two. While he knew the others would want to keep Kyoko alive as a chance to bring her back to sanity, he saw it as if she didn’t want them then they shouldn’t want to keep her around. Besides, she seemed fated for the despair that the gambler was so attracted to. It made him sick.

Kyoko raised an eyebrow at his question. As if it were rhetorical, as if it didn’t matter what he said because she knew what would happen. Deep down somewhere he knew what was going to happen but it didn’t mean he had a slither of expectancy for a different ending. It went the same for the others, no matter if they showed it or not.

“I oppose a new rule. No voting.” Kyoko smirked.

The heir went to reply, frustrated alongside enraged at the fact that they would change the rules at the blink of an eye. He did quickly freeze at the site of the remote being pointed at him.

Then it was pressed.

(Forget the cage, 'cause we know how to make the key.)

The others watched as the heir was dragged behind closed doors.

(Oh, there, suddenly we're free to fly.)

Another button pressed, and the writer and murderous fiend followed, being thrown in with him.

“Who’s next…” Kyoko murmured, scanning their classmates’ petrified expressions. Celestia leant over and whispered something, causing the detective to smirk, “I agree.”

(We're going to the other side.)

The swimmer went next, kicking and pleading. Kyoko supposed that she couldn’t keep her promise to the deceased martial artist after all.

(So if you do like I do..)

“N- No, no, no, no! Please! I’ll do anything!” Hiro pleaded desperately. Celestia snickered as she leant over Kirigiri’s shoulder and pressed the next button.

“Aw, sweetheart. Begging doesn’t work on us.” She cooed viciously as the metal clamped around his neck. She enjoyed seeing the terror in his eyes with a gleeful smile, “Now.”

All that was now left was the lucky student, Makoto. Too bad the luck had now run out for him, Kyoko merely would remark as he tried to use words to break through to them. One of them, both of them. He didn’t care as long as it would spare their lives.

(So if you do like me.)

But for the first time his luck had failed him, leaving him in despair as he was yanked back.

('Cause we're going to the other side.)

Kyoko allowed Celestia to pull her into another kiss, the despair truly becoming one with them both as the detective followed the gambler into a side room from the trial site. It was cushioned with a few monitors on the otherwise plain South wall. The rest was decorated much like a living room. It was almost like a sitcom. However, instead of watching TV they would be watching screams of despair, thrills, chills and kills all packed into one. Kirigiri gave Celestia a demented smile, one that was returned as they nestled into each other on the couch, Monokuma long since discarded in the corner.

The TV switched on in order of everyone’s executions. Starting with the ones being executed live and then replaying those that had already taken place. Kyoko hadn’t understood their deaths before, but she did now. She saw how important despair was to the world and how it needed to be protected in order for them to rule it. It had been a dream of her girlfriend’s and a fate of her own. They were always going to end up this way even if they hadn’t wanted it at first. Now the only things they enjoyed was the anger-filled bloodshed with all the traps that Celestia had been dying to try out.

“Hey, ‘leste?”

“Hmhm?”

“Thank you for showing me the truth. I never imagined how good despair felt until now.”

“You’re ever so welcome, princess.”

(We're going to the other side.)


End file.
